How-To Geek

I still remember with fondness when the only privacy concern I had when it came to my computer is that my dad would go sniffing through my files while I was at school. Which is why I had a BIOS and Windows login password! These days I have to worry about some random tech employee or a hacker browsing through my activity logs and files thanks to built-in spyware in big commercial operating systems.

I played by the rules when I first set up my subwoofer, but I wasn't satisfied with the sound. On a whim, I moved the subwoofer against the back of our double recliner, and now I really feel like I'm at the cinema.

It isn't every day that a new technology can be described as a paradigm shift, but Starlink is pretty close. Satellite internet, which used to be relatively slow and very high latency, is now competitive with broadband. My Starlink Mini has quickly become one of my favorite gadgets, and is my constant companion in my car.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation just rolled out Raspberry Pi Imager version 2.0.3. This brings a massive list of under-the-hood improvements focused heavily on performance, reliability, and security for the cross-platform utility. This update makes the imaging process less frustrating.

Microsoft has recently added native NVMe support in Windows Server 2025. I know what you must be thinking—about time, right? Better late than never, I suppose.

Google has officially agreed to pay $630 million to settle a massive class-action antitrust lawsuit regarding the monopolistic practices of its Play Store. If you ever bought an Android app or made an in-app purchase over the last several years, you might automatically qualify for a payout.

If you're looking for a gaming monitor upgrade, 4K seems like the obvious choice. While resolution definitely matters, it’s far less important than the underlying panel technology. OLED is the clear winner there—and if you can only afford either 4K or OLED, there’s only one right answer (hint: it’s not the resolution).

I've used a lot of apps in my time, but many fail to stand the test of time. A few apps, however, are discontinued not because they're no good, but because they're too good. This is sadly what happened to one of my favorite apps ever.

Messy Excel formulas are more than just an eyesore—they're harder to maintain. Every repeated cell reference and tangled parenthesis makes your work difficult to audit, edit, and share. That's why you should use the SWITCH function instead. It turns the clutter into a formula that is cleaner, faster, and easier to understand.

Verizon is currently offering a discount for its mobile and home internet customers who want to try out Google's YouTube TV streaming service. This is a nice perk for people already paying for Verizon service because it drops the price for the first half of the year.

Jaguar has quietly finished building its last gas-powered car. After decades of inline‑6s, V8s, and V12s, the company is officially closing the door on internal-combustion engines as it gears up for a new electric future.

On Linux, there’s always more than one way to do something. Whether you run a command, use a GUI app, or write your own program, there are plenty of methods to get things done. But each one can teach us something new about the operating system we use.

There's a reason portable Wi-Fi routers are growing in popularity. Reliable internet access is crucial these days, especially when traveling. Plus, hotel Wi-Fi can be spotty at best, and that's before we even mention privacy and security. The popular brand Ubiquiti just announced a tiny new UniFi travel router, and it sounds amazing.

As a voracious consumer of television and streaming content, I'm pleased to say that 2025 was a triumph. I keep track of the newest shows that strike a chord in me; this year, the list was huge. I've condensed it here to some of my favorites, so you can binge through them and enjoy some outstanding TV.

postmarketOS, the Linux distribution for phones and tablets, just released a new major update. It's still not a full-fledged replacement for Android or iOS, but now it has more supported hardware, an upgraded package manager, and new versions of GNOME and KDE.

If you keep running out of USB ports on your Raspberry Pi 5, there's an expansion board out there for you. The SupTronics X1013 v1.1 board has you covered with its additional 10 USB ports. Yes, you read that right.

Even if you buy one of the fastest SSDs, you may find it running slowly, and not necessarily because there's something wrong with the hardware itself. Often, the problem can be easily fixed on your end without jumping through too many hoops.

Whether you're a DIY mechanic or a professional, you likely have a large collection of sockets, wrenches, pliers, and power tools. And while Snap-On and Milwaukee are often recommended for their quality and feature set, there's a wide range of other quality brands worth considering. Here's why you don't need to spend big to work on cars.

Head to Toyota’s website and you'll see that the 2025 Camry starts at $28,700. The ninth-generation model is now hybrid-only, and it hits an impressive 51 mpg combined.

2025 marks 10 years after the official launch of DirectX 12 for Windows 10. This came after a relatively frequent release cycle over the years, starting with one of the first ever DirectX showcase games: Doom 95. A project started by none other than Gabe Newell while he was still at Microsoft, but shortly before he left to found Valve.